Ilulissat Tourist-Service

Guided tours






Guided Tour of the town
Sermermiut walking tour
4-5 hour walking tour
Two-days walking tour to Oqaatsus Village
Three-day walking tour
10-day walking tour from Ilulissat to Uummannaq across the Nuussuaq Peninsula

GUIDED TOUR OF THE TOWN

On this tour we take you to the harbour,to Knud Rasmussen's home, which is now a museum, to the attractive Zion Church from 1779 and to old and new parts of town. On route the guide will provide information on the history of the town, trade and commerce, everyday life in Ilulissat.There is plenty to photograph, so remember your camera.
Tour number: JAVO1

SERMERMIUT WALKING TOUR

This delightful walking tour leaves from the old heliport to the old Inuit settlement of Sermermiut near the ice fjord's outlet. Here you will he able to see the remains of the different people who have lived here at times during the past 4,000 years. The guide provides information on the settlement and about life in the old days. After visiting Sermermiut we continue on to "Kællinge-kløften" (The Old Woman's Ravine) where we take a break and enjoy the beautiful view of the gigantic icebergs which lie aground close by. We sometimes hear their cracking and rumbling and perhaps one of them may "calve".We return through the Sermermiut valley.
Tour number: JAVO2

4-5 HOUR WALKING TOUR

The tour starts at the quarry. Behind it we go up through a very noticeable ravine in the mountain. The tour through the ravine is rather steep and there are many stones and rocks, but we take our time in this exciting place and look at the many different varieties of plants and flowers which grow in these damp surroundings. There are many varieties of saxifrage in particular. When we come to the top of the ravine we go down on the other side, past a lake and follow the course of the little river which empties into the ice fjord. We take a break here and eat our packed lunches or cook some food and enjoy the view across the ice fjord and the beautiful scenery in general. After an hour or so we continue along the ice fjord. Here we will look at some of the many old burial grounds in the area. Towards the end of the tour we come to "Kællinge-kløften" (The Old Woman's Ravine) and the old Inuit settlement, Sermermiut, and the guide will talk about the people who have lived here at various periods for 4,000 years. We then walk up the valley and back to the town. You should be reasonably good at walking in varied mountainous terrain for this tour.
Tour number: JAVO3

TWO-DAYS WALKING TOUR TO OQAATSUT VILLAGE

If you want to try your strength in Greenland’s wilderness for a limited period accompanied by an experienced guide, this is your chance. We walk to Oqaatsut village north of Ilulissat and will camp overnigth in the mountains. We will eat simply, fish for trout and botanize, study birds etc. On the day before departure you will be invited to plan meals and arrange the final details together with your guide.

Day 1:
The tour starts at the old heliport south of the town. From here we walk along the ice fjord to the ancient Sermermiut settlement which is one of the oldest and largest settlements in greenland with more than 4.000 years of history. On the route the guide will talk about life in Greenland in the old days. After Sermermiut we walk to “Kællinge-kløften” and on to the old, open Inuit graves below Holms Hill. After about two hours with a deligthful view across the ice fjord we walk northwards and through the mountains north-east of Ilulissat. We will eat lunch when we are hungry. Towards evening we approach Bredebugt and will begin to look for a campsite for the night, We will either cook dinner over an open fire or on a trangia. We spend the night in tents.

Day 2:
To get the most out of the day we will get up early. After breakfast we pick up our rucksacks and walk further north. By midday we will have reached Kangerluarssup Tasia lake where we will have a long break, fish for trout and eat lunch. In the afternoon we arrive at our destination, Oqaatsut. After about an hour in the village with its special Greenlandish village life, we will be fetched and sailed back to Ilulissat, tired after two days exertions.
NB ! The tour can be extended with a nigth in a cabin at Oqaatsut. In this case, we can offer the following arrangements: Greenlandish barbecue, “coffee-mik”, normal collective “dinner-mik”, rifle shooting at targets, dog whip competition ( not with dogs ) and anything else you migth enjoy.
Tour number: JAV10.

THREE-DAY WALKING TOUR

Here you really will have a chance to pit your strength against Greenland’s mountains. The landscape around Ilulissat is largely untouched as only the winter brings people so far afield by dog sledge. On this tour we will be sleeping both in tents and cabins, we will fish, study nature ( batany, geology, ornithology etc. ) and enjoy walking for a whole day along the beautiful ice fjord. The day before the tour you will plan the final details of the tour with baggage, cooking plans etc., together with your guide.

Day 1:
The tour starts at the airport. From here we walk north towards Bredebugt in relatively easy terrain. We eat lunch while enjoying the view across Bredebugt and prepare for an afternoon of hard mountain walking. From Bredebugt we turn to the east up to the escarpment Ujupkua which we will follow all afternoon until, towards evening, we find a suitable campsite for the nigth. We will try our luck with Greenland char in the river or lake and if we are lucky, there will be fish for dinner that evening. We will cook over an open fire or on a trangia. We spend the nigth in tents.

Day 2:
We have a good day’s walk ahead so we get up early and after a solid breakfast begin walking. We will take things easy as there is a sharp gradient as we progress towards Navdluarssup Tasia lake. Up here we will enjoy a well-earned long lunch break. From here the tour goes more or less downhill the rest of the way and we wend a long day at the hunting cabin at Autdlainiarfik. We can now decide whether we will sleep in tents or indoors in the simple cabin which is used a great deal by hunters in the region during the winter. There is a perfect view of the ice fjord so we will eat dinner with the best possible prospects.

Day 3:
We take it easy during the morning. We have been walking for two days so we will wait until later in the morning to start off. We walk westward the whole day along the incredibly beautiful ice fjord until towards evening we arrive Sermermiut. Here, the guide will talk about the ancient settlement ( see Sermermiut tour ) before we go into the city late in the evening after three wonderful days in the wild Greenland mountains.

10-DAY WALKING TOUR FROM ILULISSAT TO UUMMANNAQ ACROSS THE NUUSSUAQ PENINSULA

Here is a chance for all those who really want a stay in Greenland where they can discover and enjoy nature to the full. You must be able to rely on your own to get you through the trip, but every day has its own reward in the form of beautiful scenery in a wonderful, unspoiled wilderness. This tour is only for those who are in top form and really want to pit their strength against the wilds and don’t give up when the going gets tough!
The tour is led by a guide with great experience in mountain life, first aid, survival in the wilds etc. The guide has naturally been over this route before.

Day 1:
Arrival at Ilulissat. Preparation for the tour and buying food. You will meet your guide and much of the day will be spent in looking at the route, packing rucksacks, agreeing on sharing tents and so on. You will stay overnight at Ilulissat youth hostel.

Day 2:
The rucksacks are properly packed and boots laced tight and now the adventure can begin! We sail to the now deserted village Appat which is approximately 60 km north of Ilulissat. The place still buzzes with life in the summer where traditionally several families from Ilulissat, Qeqertaq and Saqqaq make camp. We will stay in the former colonial governor’s house.
If you bring along a fishing rod and have bought a fishing permit from Ilulissat Tourist office there will be plenty of opportunity to fish for trout. With little luck your catch will make a nice dinner this evening.

Day 3:
The boat trip continues on to Qeqertaq. Among other places, we will be passing the great bird fjord north of Appat. Qeqertaq means island in Greenlandic and about 80 people live here. They live by hunting and fishing and are very hospitable. We sail slowly from Appat to Qeqertaq past huge icebergs and many ice floes. At Qeqertaq we will have lunch and look at the village. The boat trip continues to Qoororsuaq near Panissap Qaqqaa. The walking tour begins here. We go up the Qoororsuaq, which means big valley in Greenlandic. This is a fertile area and the landscape is formidable. We walk along the right side of Qoororsuaq towards Panissaq akia. The area is green and lush. We camp out at night in beautiful surroundings with the murmuring of river as a lullaby.

Day 4:
Today we walk towards Qoorunnguup Qaqqai past Akuaata Kuua. There is a unique view from here down the delightful Boyes Lake, where we have a good chance of getting some fresh trout. We pith our tents below Qoorunnguup Qaqqai.

Day 5:
We continue our walk towards Majoriaasuatsiaaq via Qoorunnguaq. We then take a little climb up Majoriaasuatsiaaq Qappa (1,038 metres above sea level). From here is a view both of the inland ice to the west and towards Qarajaqs ice fjord. We lunch here. A little further down the mountain we will find a suitable campsite and spend the night in tents or in the old hunting cabin at the foot of the mountain.

Day 6:
We continue today past the lakes towards Kuussuaq to the left of Salliaruseq. We walk along Kuussauq and listen to the bubbling of the river. We will be walking by the lake below the Uummataasaq mountain which is 1,020 metres high. Spend the night in tents in the total silence of Uummataasaq mountain valley.

Day 7:
We go on past the left side of Illerfiusaq mountain (986 metres) down towards Qarajaq ice fjord. Very good opportunity of catching trout in the Eqaluit river and there is a unique view towards the Qarajaq ice fjord. We spend the night in the Eqaluit cabin in beautiful surroundings with a view of the sea and the many icebergs.

Day 8:
Today we will be fetched by boat which will take us to Uummannaq with a short stopover at the village of Ikerasak. About 200 people live at Ikerasak which is the largest village in Uummannaq municipality. This is a good opportunity to see how a larger, modem village functions with both a fish factory, laundry and bathing hut. Late in the day we come to Uummannaq where we will stay at Hotel Uummannaq and have well-earned bath and a good meal.

Day 9:
Transfer from Hotel Uummannaq to the heliport. The helicopter takes us across the Nuussuaq peninsula which just traversed on foot. The trip is one of the most imposing in Greenland. Back at llulissat we will be fetched at the airport and driven back to the hostel. You can spend the rest of the day looking around Ilulissat. The guide may take you to the old settlement of Sermermiut (see programme), or we can take a walk around town.

Day 10:
Departure to Copenhagen via Kangerlussuaq.
Tour number: JAV12.


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Guided Tours Boat Trips Helicopter Trips Dog Sledge Tours
Fishing Tours etc. Price List '97 Sledge races Miscellaneous
Smilla Cabin Village Ilulissat Airport Camp Ice-Cap General Conditions
Greenland Outfitters Eqi ! Hotels & hostels Film Production Support
A brief introduction to the town of Ilulissat

Please contact us for further details and booking

Ilulissat Tourist Service
P.O. Box 272
DK-3952 Ilulissat
Greenland

E-mail: ilulissat.tourist@greennet.gl
Phone: +299 4 43 22
Fax: +299 4 39 33

When calling from abroad, please note
the time difference to Greenland


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